Improvement in wash-boards



I. W. LATCHER.

WASH-BOARD.

No.185,552. Patented Dec. 19, 1876.

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Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 185,552., datedDecember 19, 1876; application led November 16, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN W. LATGHER, ofJohnstown, in the county of Fulton and State of New York, have inventeda Wash-Board, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to that class of washboards having a raisedcentral washing-surface, and is an improvement on the washboard patentedby me on the 27th day of J anuary,1874, and numbered 146,921; andconsists in forming a raised central washing-surface on the one side,and a wooden corrugated strip, and on its reverse side of a sheet ofzinc or metal having its central portion corrugated or ribbeddifferently frommthe washingsurfaces on either side of the center, aswill be hereinafter more fully described, the said central portion ofthe zinc plate being raised, of course, above its lateralwashing-surfaces, and secured to the corrugated wooden centerpiece in arigid manner by means of nails and the like, thus making a wash-boardhaving one of its faces wholly of one sheet of metal, with a raisedcenter, and on its reverse side tWowashing-surfaces, of zinc or metal,and a corrugated center piece of wood interposed between them, one sheetof metal only being required for the wash-board. v

Figure 1 is a vertical side elevation of my wash-board. Fig. 2 exhibitsan end sectional view of the same, taken in the line .fr ac, Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a longitudinal elevation of the inner face of the squarecross-bar, exhibiting the groove which retains the top and bottom edgesof the zinc plate.

A A represent the uprights or standards, the saine being united at thetop through the medium of the cap b and soap-board c, in the usual Way.Gains or grooves are formed in the inner faces of the standards A A, forretaining the zinc plate, in the usual manner. Holes are bored in theinner edges of the standards A A, for the reception of the cross-bars DD, in the manner heretofore used. I cut a gain or groove in thecross-bars D D, as shown in Fig. 3, being curved in the center from aright line, as indicated at e, Fig. 3, for the reception and retentionof the upper and lower edges of the zinc plate F F F'.

A peculiar and useful part of my invention consists in bending,crimping, corrugating, or stamping the zinc plate into two or moredistinct forms, as follows:

The two side or lateral portions F F may be formed quite alike, while Iemboss or stamp the central portion F in a convex or raised form, inorder to give greater strength to the zinc plate when lthe same is to beused on its reverse side, in connection with a corrugated wooden centerpiece, as Well as to admit of the close insertion and retention of thesaid double-convex wood center piece G, which is corrugated or flutedcrosswise of its grain, and only on its outer convex or iiat surface. Ialso crimp or corrugate the central portion F of the zinc plate with asmaller or different configuration from the side portions F F, as shownin the drawing, in order that laces and other ne articles may be washedon the same side of the zinc plate without the necessity of reversingthe board to wash on the wood surface center piece G, which may, forcertain purposes, be made of a much larger outline of configuration withrespect to the lateral zinc surfaces. A saw-kerf is formed in the bar D,in the usual way; but I stamp or cut the curved groove e by means of agouge corresponding to the stamped edge of the zinc plate at F. Thestraight portions of the zinc plate F F are inserted in the sawkerf orstraight groove, while the curved portion of the zinc F' enters thegroove made for its reception, as will be understood. Copper or othernon injurious or corroding nails may be securely driven through the zincportion F', and thence into the wooden center piece G, in order to holdthem securely together, making thereby a mutual support.

In brief, this invention combines two essential elements in washing-towit, first, an entire zinc surface having a raised center or centralportion convex, in conjunction with a corrugated wooden center piece onits reverse side; second, a sheet of zinc having its central verticalportion crimped or stamped with a much liner or smaller configuration orconformation from the two side or lateral portions F F, whether saidsheet be formed convex or of a plaink surface asV regardsl its'ceri-1tral portion.

What I claim as my invention7 and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The central portion of a zinc or meta plate for washboards, withsmaller corruga-l tions than the two lateral or side washing-surfaces,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A wash-board having a corrugatedvsheet rugated wooden center piece'G,secnred to its reyerse siede, substantially as' and for the pur` poseset forth. v

Witie's'szi.- THOMAS O. OoNNoLLY, 423131513199@

